Washington - Lawmakers in the US state of Nebraska learned a few lessons earlier this year after a law they passed to protect newborn babies resulted in an unexpected number of teenagers being handed over to state custody.
After only five months of being in effect, the state's so-called safe haven law was revised on November 21 by the state legislature - meeting in emergency session - and immediately signed by the governor.
The revision limits the age of children that can be turned over to the state to 30 days.
The legislature acted at the behest of officials who said the law was always meant to protect newborns in immediate danger of being harmed.